Condensing apparatus.



R. T. HAPGUOD, CONDENSING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED An. 1 0', 1913.

1,086,767.. I Patented Fb. 10, 1914 srs ea on on.

CONDENSING 1,086,767. Specification of Application filed April 10,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Roswnnn T. HAPGOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Condensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to condensing apparatus for the liquefaction of gases under high pressure, and is more particularly designed for use in connection with the recovery of gasolene from natural gas, although, as will be obvious, the apparatus herein shown and described would be equally useful in connection with other processes of a similar nature. I

The chief objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus of this general character of light, simple and inexpensive con struction but capable of withstanding the relatively high pressures under which the processes for which it is particularly adapted are carried on, which has no joints requiring packing or oflering possibilities of leakage under pressure or other conditions of use, which will afford a relatively large area of condensing surface and will permit the desired process to be carried on continuously and expeditiously while allowing APPARATUS.

Letters P en Patented lFelo. an, acre.

1913. Serial No. 760,247.

ticularly to Fig. 1. In said figure, 12 de-- notes a cooling tank containing brine, oil, or other suitable heat transferring medium, and within which is located a refrigerating coil 13, through which is circulated a suitable refrigeranta Within the cooling tank 12 and surrounded by the refrigerating coil 13 is a surface condenser comprising an outer condensing chamber 14:, having in its pp r outlet 16, and a deflecting member 17, similar in form to said condensing chamber, within'the same and spaced from the walls thereof. The condensing chamber 1 1 comprises an integral, upright, sheet-metal cylinder 18 having its opposite ends permanently closed, after the deflecting member 17 has been placed therein, by upper and lower sheet metal ends or heads 19 and 20 perma nently welded thereto so as to form a substantially' integral construction capable of withstanding such fluid pressures as the apparatus may be subjected to, and which pressures, in the particular process for which the apparatus herein shown and described is designed, usually approximate 250 pounds to the square inch. The heads 19 and 20 are provided with central openings, constituting the inlet 15 and outlet 16 respectively, and in which are permanently welded an inlet pipe 21 and an outlet pipe 22 respectively, the

latter passing through the bottom wall of the gas to be condensed to remain for a rela tively long time in contact with said surface, and which is otherwise well qualified to fulfil the requirements of such a device and to perform its intended function in an efficient and reliable 'manner. These and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into eifect, will best be understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the apparatus described and shown has l been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the l spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a detail sectional view of the condenser, and Fig. .2 t is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus as l a whole. l

The condensing apparatus proper will first be described, reference being had parthe cooling tank 12. The deflecting member 17 also comprises a substantially integral, upright, sheetmetal cylinder having a closed upper end 23 adjacent the inlet 15 and an open lower end 24 adjacent the outlet 16. The lower edge of said cylinder, which rests loosely on the bottom head 20 of the condensing cylinder, is preferably formed with notches 25 in order to permit the fluid of condensation to pass the edge of this deflecting cylinder. 26 denotes spacing strips secured to the exterior of the deflecting cylinder and engaging ,the interior of the condensing cylinder to maintain the proper distance between those cylinders. The open lower end of the cylinder 17 permits the fluid pressure within the condensing cylinder to act equally upon the interior and the exterior of said deflecting cylinder, thereby permitting the latter cylinder to be of a light, sheet-metal construction without danger of failure under the pressure within the apparatus.

when a light, inexpensive, eflicient, and reliable condenser, capable of operating upon The above described condenser, comprising the cylinders 14 and 17, may, as will be seen, be used for a Wide variety of purposes gases under pressure, is desired. The steam or other vapor or gas to be condensed is admitted at the inlet 15 andis deflected by the closed top and sidesof the deflecting cylinder 17 to the sides of the condensing cylinder 14, thereby spreading said gas out into a -thin layer, in which condition it will be quickly condensed under the influence of the cooling medium in the tank 12. The condensed liquid, together with the uncondensed gas, passes through the notches and out of the condenser through the outlet 16 and pipe 22.

In 'F-ig. 2 of the drawings is illustrated a form of apparatus employmg the condenser above described and designed for the purpose of recovering gasolene fromnatural gas. In said figure, 27 denotes a gas compressor of any suitable form communicating i with thecondensin'g chamber or cylinder 14 through the pipe 21. 28 denotes a trap or separator with which the pipe 22 communicates, said separator being of any suitable or well known form capable of separating the liquids from the gases delivered from the condenser. I

In use the natural gas is compressed by the compressor 27 to a pressure of approximately 250 pounds per square inch and delivered through the pipe 21 to the condenser 14, in which the gasolene is condensedor precipitated by the cooling action of the rethousand cubic feet of certain natural gas.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v v T 1. A surface condenser comprising a con densing chamber havin an inlet and an outlet at its opposite en s respectively, and

a deflecting member similar in form to said condensing chamber within the same and spaced from the walls thereof, said deflecting member being hollow and having a portion of its wall open to afford communication between the interior thereof and the interior of said condensing chamber.

' 2; A'surface condenser comprising an up right, hollow condensing cylinder having closed upper and lower ends provided respectively with an inlet and an outlet, and a {hollow deflecting cylinder within said vcondensin cylinder and spaced from the walls thereo said deflecting cylinder having a ends respectively,

memo? lower edge restingupon the lower end of said condensing cylinder, and being provided on its exterior with spacing strips engagin the interior surface of said condensing cyinder. v v

4:. A surface condenser comprising a permanently closed and substantially integral.

condensing chamberhaving an inlet and an outlet at its opposite ends respectively, and a' deflecting member similar in form to said-condensing chamber within the same and spaced from the walls thereof, said defleeting member being hollow and having 'a portion of its wall open to afford communication between the interior thereof and the interior of said condensing chamber.

5. A surface condenser comprising an integral, upright, sheet metal cylinder, sheet metalends or heads welded to the-upper and lower ends of said cylinder respectively and provided with openings, pipes welded in said openings, and asecond sheet metal cylinder within said first named cylinder'and spaced from the walls thereof, said last named cylinder having a closed upper end andv an open lower end communicating with the interior of said first named cylinder.

6. In'an apparatus of the character described, incombination, a-cooling tank, an upright hollow condensin cylinder within said tank and having close ends, an inlet pipe communicatingwith the upper end of said cylinder, an outlet pipe communicating wit the lower end of said cylinder and exten ing through the wall of said tank, a deflecting cylinder withinsaid condensing cylinder and spaced from the walls thereof, and a refrigerating coil in said .tank and surrounding said condensing cylinder. 7

7. In an apparatus of the character described the combination' with a surface condenser comprising a condensing chamber having an inlet and an outlet at its opposite and a deflecting member similar in form to said condensing chamber within the same and spacedfrom the walls thereof, said deflecting member being hollow and having a portion of its wall open to aiford communication between the interior thereof and the interior of said condensing chamber, of a cooling tank in which said within said tank and surrounding said. condenser.

upper and lower condenser is located, and a refrigerating coil 8. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with a surface condenser comprising a permanently closed and substantially integral condensing chamber having an inlet and an outlet at its opposite endslespectiyelyq andajhfilecting member similm jn termite saidiondensing cham be? within the sameand spaced from the 4 walls thereof, said deflecting member being hollow and having a portion ofits Walls openito afiord communication between the interior thereoiandihecinterior of saidcon- (lensing chamber, or a cooling tank'ln which said condenser is located, and a refrigerating coil within said tank and surrounding said condenser.

9. In an apparatus of the character de- In testimony whereof I aflix my scribed the combination with a surface -condenser comprising a permanently closed and denser is located, and a refrigerating coil within-said tank and surrounding said condenser. i I

signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' ROSWELL T. HAPGOOD. \Vitnesses:

EVA'A. MILNE. I "C; G. MULLER. 

